James Name Meaning, Origin, History, And Popularity

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of James

A variant of the much-adored boy name Jacob, James is a name of Hebrew origin. Like Jacob, it means ‘supplanter.’ James is the English version of the Latin name ‘Iacomus.’ Iacomus, which is a variation of the Biblical Latin term Iacobus, derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov.

James is a biblical name. In the Christian Bible’s New Testament, there are three James, among which two are apostles. The final -s in this first name are characteristic of the words taken from Old French. James also has Scottish roots and royal undercurrents. Prominent figures, such as King James VI, who took over the English throne in the 17th century, made this name a part of royal courts.

The name comes with a long list of variations. It is Giacomo in Italian, Iago in Welsh, and Jacques in French. Jakob is the German and Polish variation of the name, while Jaime is the Spanish form of the moniker. The name also has an Irish version, spelled as Séamas.

Some of the most notable name bearers of James in history include the English explorer Captain James Cook, the Scottish inventor James Watt, and the Irish poet James Joyce. There are and have been plenty of famous personalities with this name. However, James Brolin, James Brown, and James Cameron are the most well-known figures in the entertainment industry who may have contributed to the popularity of the name in the US. Acclaimed writers such as James Baldwin and James Patterson are other notable mentions.

Who can forget James Bond, the fictional British secret agent who has been featured in various films, stories, and novels for over seven decades? Similar is the case with the protagonist James in Roald Dahl’s hit book, James and the Giant Peach. This sweet masculine name is undoubtedly one with widespread appeal.

James

Meaning Supplanter

Gender Boy

Religion Christianity

Origin Hebrew

Lucky Number 3

Syllables Two

Length 1 word, 5 letters, 2 vowels, 3 consonants

Type Short and easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce James?

Pronounced as jehmes

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name James in English.

Famous People With The Name James

James Brown20th-century American musical artist, one of the first ten inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
James BuchananLawyer, diplomat, and the 15th President of the US
James Marshall HendrixAmerican musician regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history
James MonroeAmerican politician and the 5th President of the US
James Earl JonesAmerican actor and voice artist known for his deep bass voice
James TaylorAmerican singer and songwriter, six-time Grammy Award winner
James CameronAcademy Award-winning Canadian filmmaker
James Madison4th United States President, hailed as the ‘Father of the Constitution’
King James I of EnglandThe namesake of King James in Bible
James Dean20th-century American actor

James On The Popularity Chart

The popularity of the name James was at an all-time high in the 1980s. The chart below documents its popularity trends.

Popularity Over Time

The name’s popularity gradually declined From 1998 onward. Check out the graph below to understand its popularity over time.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time As James

James was a popular boy name in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the usage of the name saw a sharp decline in the recent years.

Source: Social Security Administration

James On MomJunction Popularity Chart

Know how popular the name James is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.

Names With Similar Sound As James

James is an easy-to-pronounce name. If you want to find names that sound like James, take a look at the list below.

Popular Sibling Names For James

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with James, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For James

Find matching brother names for James and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Girl Sibling Names For James

Looking for some suitable sister names for James? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Other Popular Names Beginning With J

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter J to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Jac

Names With Similar Meaning As James

There are so many other baby names that mean the same as James. Find your pick from the ones listed below.

Popular Songs On The Name James

James has a lyrical presence in various songs. Check them out here.

Song	Artist
James Joint	Rihanna
TIL FURTHER NOTICE (feat. James Blake & 21 Savage)	Travis Scott
James	Laufey
The James Bond Theme (Original)	The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Hummingbird (Metro Boomin & James Blake)	Metro Boomin
James	Maggie Rogers
James River Blues	Old Crow Medicine Show
James	MGMT

Acrostic Poem On James

Dive into the lyrical charm of the name James with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?

Jovial heart that plays joyful melodies.

Adorable like a sweet-smelling rose.

Meticulous and methodical with attention to detail.

Enchanting like a garden of wildflowers.

Spirited and sprightly, filling the house with contagious energy.

James’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name james. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.

Zodiac Sign (Rashi)

As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.

Rashi (zodiac sign)	Makar (Capricorn)
Starting letters for Makar (Capricorn) rashi	KH, J
Representation	Crocodile
Element	Earth
Ruling body	Saturn
Quality	Movable

Birth Star (Nakshatra)

Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.

The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Makar (Capricorn) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.

Nakshatra	Degrees Of The Nakshatra	Nakshatra Lord (Ruler)	Name Syllables
Utharashada (Utharadam)	Capricorn (0 to 10 degrees)	Sun	Be, Bo, Ja, Ji, Bha, Bhe, Bho, Jaa, Jee
Sravana (Shravana, Thiruvonam)	Capricorn (10 to 23.20 degrees)	Moon	Ju, Je, Jo, Khi, So, Khu, Khe, Kho
Dhanishta (Avittam)	Capricorn (23.20 to 30 degrees)	Mars	Ga, Gi, Gu, Ge, Gee

Infographic: Know The Name James‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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James In Different Languages

It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell James in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying James, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!

Name	Language	Code
James	English	en
詹姆士	Chinese	zh-CN
जेम्स	Hindi	hi
James	Spanish	es
James	French	fr
جوامع	Arabic	ar
জেমস	Bengali	bn
James	Portuguese	pt
Джеймс	Russian	ru
جیمز	Urdu	ur
James	Indonesian	id
James	German	de
ジェームズ	Japanese	ja
जेम्स	Marathi	mr
జేమ్స్	Telugu	te
James	Turkish	tr
ஜேம்ஸ்	Tamil	ta
James	Vietnamese	vi
James	Tagalog	tl
제임스	Korean	ko
James	Hausa	ha
James	Swahili	sw
James	Javanese	jv
James	Italian	it
ਜੇਮਸ	Punjabi	pa
જેમ્સ	Gujarati	gu
เจมส์	Thai	th
ಜೇಮ್ಸ್	Kannada	kn
ጄምስ	Amharic	am
जेम्स	Bhojpuri	bho
James	Yoruba	yo

How To Communicate The Name James In Sign Languages

In Nautical Flags

james

In Sign Language

james

In Braille Alphabet

james

In Morse Code

james

Name Numerology For James

Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name James, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.

Baby Name Lists Containing James

Read through our baby name lists that include the name James and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?

Movie Titles Inspired By The Name James

Discover the presence of James in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.

Movie title	Other titles	Release year
James Hemings: Ghost in America's Kitchen		2022
Carole King & James Taylor: Just Call Out My Name	Just Call Out My Name	2022
James	Джеймс	2022
James & Isey	James and Isey	2021
James 'The Machine' Deane - Clipping Point		2021
Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James	BITCHIN': The Sound and Fury of Rick James, Superfreak, sex og stoffer: Rick James' vilde liv, Звук и ярость Рика Джеймса	2021
Walk Against Fear: James Meredith		2020
James & Pat & Dave	James and Pat and Dave	2020

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the meaning of the name James?

The name James means ‘supplanter.’

2. What is the origin of the name James?

James has a Hebrew origin.

3. How to pronounce the name James?

James is pronounced as ‘jaymz.’

4. Is there a Hebrew version of the name James?

The Hebrew versions of James, a derivative of the name Jacob, are Yaakov, Yakov, Akiba, and Akiva.

5. Is the name James a royal name?

James can be considered a royal name as it was borne by several kings and monarchs throughout history. For instance, James I of England was a monarch who ruled both England and Scotland during the 17th century.

6. Does James have any spiritual or religious significance?

According to the New Testament, James was Jesus’s brother and the Jerusalem Church’s leader. He is a significant figure in the Holy Bible who saw Jesus Christ after His resurrection. The name was carried by other important Biblical figures as well.

Look Up For Many More Names

Do you have a name in mind and want to know more about it? Or want to find names belonging to a particular origin, religion, or having a specific meaning? Use our search tool below to explore more baby names with different combinations.